Would you like to follow Agnes?

Agnes, though it was the third most common English girls' name for four hundred years, has long been stuck in the attic. But now it looks like Agnes was so far out it's just about ready to come back in. It did look cute on a little girl in Despicable Me, and nickname Aggie has lots of retro appeal.

And Agnes has been making inroads in the celebrisphere--first actress Elisabeth Shue chose Agnes for her third child, and more recently JenniferConnelly and Paul Bettany named their daughter Agnes Lark.

In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as a girl's name. Agnes Grey is the title of one of the two novels written by Anne, the third Bronte sister.
French pronunciation -- ahn-YEZ -- makes it more attractive, but few Americans would comply. Other interesting variations: the Welsh Nesta, the Latin/Scandinavian Agneta, the Spanish Inez/Ines/Ynez, and the Scottish Segna--which happens to be Agnes spelled backwards.

Famous People Named Agnes

Pop Culture References for the Name Agnes

"Agnes Grey," novel by AnneBronte and its main character
"Agnes," novel by Peter Stamm and its main character
"Agnes," comic strip by TonyCochran and its main character
Agnes, birth name of Esmeralda in VictorHugo's "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame"
Agnes Fleming, mother of the title character in Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist"
Agnes Gru, little girl in movie "Despicable Me"
Agnes de Villeroy, character in G. A. Henty's, At Agincourt
Agnes Andrews, character in the Gossip Girl series
Agnes, character in movie "The Poker House"
Agnes Holland, character on TV's "Upstairs Downstairs"
Agnes Pitt, character in the American Girl Samantha series, twin sister of AgathaPitt
Agnes Adler, character in movie "It's Complicated"
Agnes Wickfield, character in Charles Dickens' "David Copperfield"
Agnes Gooch, character in movie "Auntie Mame" (famous line: "I'm your sponge")
Agnes de Burg, character in G. A. Henty's, Wulf the Saxon
Agnes Harmon, Arthur's deceased wife on TV's "Maude"
Agnes, nerdy character on TV's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody"
Anges "Aggie" Linthorne, in G. A. Henty's, With Wolfe in Canada

Pop Culture References for the Name Agnes

Please add to or correct the information provided by other members of the Nameberry community.